“Software as a service” (“SaaS”) generally describes a software application delivery model in which businesses (sometimes referred herein as “SaaS providers”) run software applications and maintain related customer data within their own premises and make the software applications available to remote customers over the Internet. Often, such a SaaS application takes the form of a web application that is accessed over a traditional web browser. One example of a set of SaaS applications that is accessed through traditional web browsers is Google Docs, which provides online versions of word processing, spreadsheet and presentation applications that are traditionally locally installed and executed on an end user's personal computer.
Generally, the adoption by enterprises of SaaS applications has been limited to applications that do not require storage of critical or sensitive data or information at the SaaS provider. Enterprises continue to be wary of the possibility that any sensitive data or information that they store at a SaaS provider can be compromised since the enterprises themselves do not have close control over the security measures taken by the SaaS provider to protect customer data from accidental, forced or unintentional unauthorized access. As such, there exists a need for a mechanism to address such customer reluctance to utilize SaaS providers for services or applications relating to sensitive data.